This is a request for support for the fifth meeting in a highly successful series of Gordon Research Conferences on Cartilage Biology and Pathology, to be held at the Ventura Beach Marriott, Ventura Beach, Ca, March -11, 2011. Building on the success of the previous conferences, the meeting brings together outstanding senior and junior scientists, including advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, for a 4.5 day program of formal presentations, poster sessions, and informal discussions. The participants share an interest in cartilage biology and pathology, but represent a broad range of disciplines, including developmental biology, extracellular matrix biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, tissue engineering, pathology, genetics, synthetic biology, and orthopaedics. When cartilage fails, the consequences can be severe, ranging from death near the time of birth to reduced growth of the skeleton during childhood, or degenerative joint and intervertebral disc disease in adults. The prevalence of adult diseases of cartilage is increasing in the aging US population. Great strides have been made in the identification of genes that control cartilage formation, and loci that predispose to degenerative disease. At the same time, stem cell and tissue engineering studies are increasing the potential options for repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage. However, much remains to be understood before this knowledge can be employed in the clinic. This meeting will address where we stand today with respect to therapy for cartilage, and what developments are in the pipeline. This is the ONLY meeting that brings together researchers spanning the broad spectrum of cartilage biology in an informal setting where it is possible to interact extensively. The conference is held every other year, alternating between a site in Europe and a site in the US, maximizing opportunities for interactions with colleagues around the world. The meeting is distinctive in its ability to provide junior scientists, postdoctoral fellows, and advanced graduate students extensive access to senior scientists, enabling mentoring, networking, and establishment of collaborations. The conference has consistently been rated as "outstanding" by the participants. The format remains unchanged from our previous highly successful conferences, with ample time for informal discussions.